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Stories of Discovery Archive

Stories 2021 - 2022

11 April 2022: The pandemic has been a challenge for everyone, not least the life science research labs tasked with discovering vaccines and diagnosing Covid-19 screening tests. "Drug discovery is the ultimate team sport."
11 April 2022: The pandemic has been a challenge for everyone, not least the life science research labs tasked with discovering vaccines and diagnosing Covid-19 screening tests.
22 March 2022: How the UCD Centre for Experimental Archaeology and Material Culture turned an arson attack into an opportunity. \n UCD Centre for Experimental Archaeology
22 March 2022: How the UCD Centre for Experimental Archaeology and Material Culture turned an arson attack into an opportunity.
16/02/2022: As soon as the Covid-19 restrictions began to lift, public attention swung back to Ireland’s housing crisis. The halt in construction and rise in personal savings during the pandemic When will Irish housing be affordable?
16/02/2022: As soon as the Covid-19 restrictions began to lift, public attention swung back to Ireland’s housing crisis. The halt in construction and rise in personal savings during the pandemic
27/01/2022: Pat Gibbons is director of the UCD Centre for Humanitarian Action. After working for more than a decade on humanitarian and development programmes in Africa and Ireland, The impact of Covid-19 on humanitarian action
27/01/2022: Pat Gibbons is director of the UCD Centre for Humanitarian Action. After working for more than a decade on humanitarian and development programmes in Africa and Ireland,
08/12/2021: In August 2018 news broke that Dublin City Council planned to sell the two-acre Magdalene laundry site on Sean McDermott Street to a Japanese hotel chain for €14 million. Redeveloping Ireland’s "fraught" Magdalene Laundry sites
08/12/2021: In August 2018 news broke that Dublin City Council planned to sell the two-acre Magdalene laundry site on Sean McDermott Street to a Japanese hotel chain for €14 million.
08/09/2021: It is perhaps no surprise that biology, the scientific study of life, is drowning in data. “In molecular biology, especially, you have humongous amounts of data,” Avoiding bad science - guidelines for machine learning validation in biology
08/09/2021: It is perhaps no surprise that biology, the scientific study of life, is drowning in data. “In molecular biology, especially, you have humongous amounts of data,”
19/07/2021: The promise of quantum computing seems limitless - better weather forecasts, superfast financial market analysis, more effective cancer drugs and energy-saving solutions to the climate crisis. UCD launches Quantum Centre to help tackle humanity's greatest challenges
19/07/2021: The promise of quantum computing seems limitless - better weather forecasts, superfast financial market analysis, more effective cancer drugs and energy-saving solutions to the climate crisis.
17/06/2021: Housing provision is one of the greatest challenges facing Ireland right now. According to the CSO, the average cost of a house in Dublin in the past year was €462,098 - or over 9 times the average full-time salary. Housing in the Tech City: Challenges for housing provision and addressing homelessness
17/06/2021: Housing provision is one of the greatest challenges facing Ireland right now. According to the CSO, the average cost of a house in Dublin in the past year was €462,098 - or over 9 times the average full-time salary.
13/05/2021: Dr Shane Bergin, Assistant Professor in science education at UCD\'s School of Education. His interest in informal learning inspired Quavers to Quadratics, a programme fusing science and music for primary school children Quavers to Quadratics: an interdisciplinary success story
13/05/2021: Dr Shane Bergin, Assistant Professor in science education at UCD's School of Education. His interest in informal learning inspired Quavers to Quadratics, a programme fusing science and music for primary school children
27/05/2021 Handbuilt by UK artist-engineer Thomas Freer, the harp is a ‘therapeutic musical sculpture’ built to ‘explore, excite and awaken the senses’ and fitted with ‘blisteringly quick electronics’. UCD Discovery delighted to partner on Intel laser harp project
27/05/2021 Handbuilt by UK artist-engineer Thomas Freer, the harp is a ‘therapeutic musical sculpture’ built to ‘explore, excite and awaken the senses’ and fitted with ‘blisteringly quick electronics’.
29/04/2021: The Dublin Climate Dialogues will forge a Declaration on how to raise global ambition at COP26 with specific recommendations to accelerate the transition to #netzero. UCD Discovery is proud to support Dublin Climate Dialogues
29/04/2021: The Dublin Climate Dialogues will forge a Declaration on how to raise global ambition at COP26 with specific recommendations to accelerate the transition to #netzero.

Stories 2020

As role models for the Irish space sector go, Scotland is certainly a good one. In 2014 they launched the very first Scottish-built satellite UKube-1 - a “CubeSat” like Ireland’s EIRSAT-1, currently being built Scotland’s space leap - lessons for Ireland
As role models for the Irish space sector go, Scotland is certainly a good one. In 2014 they launched the very first Scottish-built satellite UKube-1 - a “CubeSat” like Ireland’s EIRSAT-1, currently being built
You have probably heard of Sonic the Hedgehog. You know who Mario is. Without Shannon, mathematician and engineer, many of the things that make your life easy and fun, like video games, might not exist. Claude Shannon – Father of the Information Age
You have probably heard of Sonic the Hedgehog. You know who Mario is. Without Shannon, mathematician and engineer, many of the things that make your life easy and fun, like video games, might not exist.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.” - American cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead (1901 - 1978) “Three Days to Change the World!”
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.” - American cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead (1901 - 1978)
On 24 September 2020, the UCD Institute for Discovery, in partnership with the Analytics Institute of Ireland and in association with UCD Research, hosted “The Future of AI in Healthcare” event UCD Discovery launches AI Healthcare Hub
On 24 September 2020, the UCD Institute for Discovery, in partnership with the Analytics Institute of Ireland and in association with UCD Research, hosted “The Future of AI in Healthcare” event
Given the shocking circumstances it is no surprise that most accounts of Mary Ward’s life begin with her dramatic death. Not here. You will have to read to the very end of this page to find out what happened Interdisciplinary Heroes - Mary Ward
Given the shocking circumstances it is no surprise that most accounts of Mary Ward’s life begin with her dramatic death. Not here. You will have to read to the very end of this page to find out what happened
The late luminary Stephen Hawking predicted that “the rise of powerful AI will be either the best or the worst thing ever to happen to humanity”. In his latest book, The Culture of AI, Prof Elliott furthers this debate The Culture of AI: Everyday Life and the Digital Revolution
The late luminary Stephen Hawking predicted that “the rise of powerful AI will be either the best or the worst thing ever to happen to humanity”. In his latest book, The Culture of AI, Prof Elliott furthers this debate
It is probably fair to say that most of us can just about keep a handle on the exploding coronavirus numbers in our own jurisdictions. Covid-19 Responses Compared
It is probably fair to say that most of us can just about keep a handle on the exploding coronavirus numbers in our own jurisdictions.
UCD Institute for Discovery are delighted to be awarded full membership of the prestigious University Based Institute of Advanced Study or UBIAS international network. UCD Institute for Discovery awarded full membership of prestigious UBIAS international network
UCD Institute for Discovery are delighted to be awarded full membership of the prestigious University Based Institute of Advanced Study or UBIAS international network.
Science is a dry and clinical enterprise, all about learning facts and applying methods, with zero room for imagination and creativity. “Creatives” belong in altogether different spheres of life, like the arts, and have no business donning lab coats. Science and Poetry - Equally Creative
Science is a dry and clinical enterprise, all about learning facts and applying methods, with zero room for imagination and creativity. “Creatives” belong in altogether different spheres of life, like the arts, and have no business donning lab coats.
Turning 18th century shipping records into modern data sets is understandably tricky. Computer scientist Prof Aaron Quigley was perplexed to suddenly find hundreds of thousands of shipments of limes from Canada. Alumni Stories: Discovery to Down Under
Turning 18th century shipping records into modern data sets is understandably tricky. Computer scientist Prof Aaron Quigley was perplexed to suddenly find hundreds of thousands of shipments of limes from Canada.
iWISH is an initiative to inspire, encourage and motivate young female students to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. iWISH Campus Weeks give participants the chance to engage meaningfully with university campuses iWish campus week in UCD inspires girls to consider STEM careers
iWISH is an initiative to inspire, encourage and motivate young female students to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. iWISH Campus Weeks give participants the chance to engage meaningfully with university campuses
You could hear the collective intake of breath from the audience in the Moore auditorium in UCD’s O’Brien Centre for Science. As part of his presentation on predicting and preventing TBI, Dr Mazdak Ghajari Predicting and preventing brain trauma
You could hear the collective intake of breath from the audience in the Moore auditorium in UCD’s O’Brien Centre for Science. As part of his presentation on predicting and preventing TBI, Dr Mazdak Ghajari
Millions of us do it (not everyone will admit it). Who doesn’t need a respite from our relentless, always-on work culture, where boundaries between office and home life are blurred with pinging notifications on our addictive phones? Cute animal videos and Prison TV
Millions of us do it (not everyone will admit it). Who doesn’t need a respite from our relentless, always-on work culture, where boundaries between office and home life are blurred with pinging notifications on our addictive phones?

Stories 2019

What exactly is a Smart City? What does it look like? How can you help design it? These urgent questions - and many more besides - were discussed at the UCD Smart Cities & Communities Symposium\n\n What is a Smart City?
What exactly is a Smart City? What does it look like? How can you help design it? These urgent questions - and many more besides - were discussed at the UCD Smart Cities & Communities Symposium
How can academics get their work to a wider audience, raising both their own profiles and those of their departments and universities? How can they get the kind of press coverage or online audience reach that might support research grant bids? Writing tips for The Conversation
How can academics get their work to a wider audience, raising both their own profiles and those of their departments and universities? How can they get the kind of press coverage or online audience reach that might support research grant bids?
Among the artefacts in our recent Machines of Da Vinci exhibition in the O’Brien Centre for Science was The Vertical Ornithopter or Flying Machine. Composed of two pairs of wings that perform a criss-cross movement, Leonardo da Vinci visits UCD
Among the artefacts in our recent Machines of Da Vinci exhibition in the O’Brien Centre for Science was The Vertical Ornithopter or Flying Machine. Composed of two pairs of wings that perform a criss-cross movement,
Discovery Visiting Fellow Mr Christopher Painter, globally recognised leader and expert on cyber security, cyber diplomacy and cyber crime, gave a public lecture entitled "Conducting Diplomacy and Combating Threats in Cyberspace" Evacuated to Cyberspace!
Discovery Visiting Fellow Mr Christopher Painter, globally recognised leader and expert on cyber security, cyber diplomacy and cyber crime, gave a public lecture entitled "Conducting Diplomacy and Combating Threats in Cyberspace"
Noel Sharkey is Emeritus Professor of AI and Robotics and Professor of Public Engagement at the University of Sheffield. He is Chair of the International Committee for Robot Arms Control and Co-director of the Foundation for Responsible Robotics. Are robots out to get us?
Noel Sharkey is Emeritus Professor of AI and Robotics and Professor of Public Engagement at the University of Sheffield. He is Chair of the International Committee for Robot Arms Control and Co-director of the Foundation for Responsible Robotics.
Prof Tom McLeish, a theoretical physicist and the first chair of natural philosophy at the University of York. His work is renowned for improving our understanding of the properties of soft matter, such as liquids, foams and biological materials. Putting 'uni' back in university
Prof Tom McLeish, a theoretical physicist and the first chair of natural philosophy at the University of York. His work is renowned for improving our understanding of the properties of soft matter, such as liquids, foams and biological materials.

UCD Institute for Discovery

O'Brien Centre for Science Belfield Dublin Ireland
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